


Starting Today, You Are a Host!

by Daphnean



Series: Soo Saptember [2]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Not K-Pop Idols, Conventions, Cosplay, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M, References to Ouran High School Host Club, Sappy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-07-05 03:30:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15855333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daphnean/pseuds/Daphnean
Summary: He prodded the taller man in the chest. “I was going to wear a t-shirt, but no. “Hyung bring a sweater, you might be cold” and then you’re throwing my clothes at me right and left. What the hell am I cosplaying?”Jongin, even dressed as a legendary hero, was still a soft, soft sophomore student deep down and caved, hiding his face behind his hands. “The possibly agender protagonist of a male harem anime?”





	Starting Today, You Are a Host!

**Author's Note:**

> Quick aside: don't worry if you don't know a lot about anime or manga before reading, as the fic has references, but should be fine if you aren't familiar with the material!

Jongin was ecstatic, nearly buzzing as they made their way into the convention center. Kyungsoo had already seen the Power Rangers and a few Sailor Scouts pass by them, all eagerly chatting about cosplay or different panels they planned on seeing at the con. One of them, Sailor Jupiter, had even stopped them, asking for a picture with Jongin. While Kyungsoo never had watched Dragon Ball Z, he had to admit Jongin’s Trunks cosplay was pretty impressive. There had been bits of costume and weapon work all over their dorm for weeks and Jongin lovingly put each piece under intense scrutiny for accuracy.

Pushing his glasses back up his face, he resigned himself to his fate as official picture taker and con swag holder. All he had asked for was a chance to look at some of the sports anime memorabilia in the dealer’s room.

Going to get their badges shouldn’t have been any hassle at all, but they were stopped by a young woman with cat ears and a Yuri on Ice shirt on who actually (really) squealed at them both. “Trunks and Haruhi! That’s so precious. Can I have a picture of you both?”

Kyungsoo was absolutely baffled. Haru who? Jongin was beaming though, apparently unfazed by the comment and pulling out his sword for a battle pose. While his first instinct was to shuffle away, Kyungsoo decided to just sigh and bear with the embarrassment.

A few phone pictures later and the girl was off. Jongin started fixing his wig, but Kyungsoo wasn’t done with his roommate yet. “Kim Jongin...who the hell is Haruhi?”

“I’m sure she just thought you looked like some anime character, hyung. We are Korean, after all, yeah? Close enough?” Jongin tried to smile innocently, but Kyungsoo could cut through the bullshit like a hot knife through butter.

He prodded the taller man in the chest. “I was going to wear a t-shirt, but no. “Hyung bring a sweater, you might be cold” and then you’re throwing my clothes at me right and left. What the hell am I cosplaying?”

Jongin, even dressed as a legendary hero, was still a soft, soft sophomore student deep down and caved, hiding his face behind his hands. “The possibly agender protagonist of a male harem anime?”

Kyungsoo could only hear ringing in his ears as he felt all the blood leave his body. “I’m going home right now.”

“Hyung, come on, please! It’s really subtle, honest! Plus, it’s fun. Your aunt would be thrilled you wore the sweater she bought you.” Jongin’s sincere expression was hard to take seriously with his lilac-colored eyebrows, but Kyungsoo could already feel himself buckling. “If we go now, we’ll miss a few hours of the con between traffic and changing. I promise I’ll buy you dinner for a week.”

Food; Kyungsoo’s ultimate weakness. Rubbing at his temples, he sighed in defeat. “Fine. But I’m not talking dollar menu shit. It better be legit meals.”

Apparently Jongin had no qualms about this, eagerly slipping his con badge on and grinning wildly as they continued towards the exhibition hall. “You won’t regret this, Soo. We’re gonna have a blast.”

\--

As the con began to fill, they found themselves stopped more often. Kyungsoo blissfully was only recognized twice after their initial encounter, but found himself shouldering Jongin’s purchases as he was asked for picture after picture. Eventually the sour taste of his impromptu cosplay started to fade from his mouth as he began to enjoy the afternoon. Jongin’s hard work was recognized and he even started to get out of his shell, meeting a couple other locals who made their own costumes that invited him to their cosplay construction club.

By the time they finished their lunch in the food court, Kyungsoo had almost forgotten he was dressed as a character at all. The crowds still got to him, as a lot of people had no clue that his personal bubble was several feet wide, but he’d started to relax.

It would become his undoing.

Jongin left to use the restroom while Kyungsoo busied himself taking all of their trash to the bin, when he heard a gasp to his right. Looking towards the noise revealed a blond haired man wearing a powder blue jacket who seemed beyond delighted to see him.

“Haruhi! My Haruhi! I’ve found you at last!” The man spoke with an exaggerated lilt of pageantry to his voice, hand clutched to his chest as if he was moments away from soliloquy.

Kyungsoo was fairly sure his expression read every single shade of “nope” a human face could muster, but this didn’t deter the other man in the slightest. With the hand not to his chest, the blond took Kyungsoo's hand in his and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. “These are the hands of a true, honest working individual. Even more worthy of showers of kisses.”

“Okay, what the actual fuck.” Kyungsoo yanked his hand back, taking two steps backwards only to collide with someone, nearly knocking them both down. Spinning around, he went to apologize, only to see another man dressed in the same attire as the first. And there was...another man on his shoulders? They too, were in the same outfits, and Kyungsoo looked between them all in exasperation.

Two other men, both with ginger wigs, had slid up behind the blond, patting his back in what was meant to be a comforting gesture, but clearly they were amused at his rejection. Another man, with dark hair and glasses, stood slightly behind them, mouthing “I’m sorry.”

Kyungsoo was fairly sure he’d found his harem. Jongin better hope he could go super saiyan, because if not Kyungsoo was going to destroy him.

“Whoa, whoa. Don’t get any wild ideas about anythi-” Kyungsoo had both hands up in surrender when a camera flash out his vision. “Really?”

Said camera man had a wild grin, even wilder black hair, thick rimmed glasses on, and seemed to be the only person not in cosplay. “Dude, this is so sweet! We needed a Haruhi. I’m waaay too tall for Tamaki here.”

Tamaki, Kyungsoo assumed this was the man still moping in front of him, brightened at this. “Did I not say my Haruhi was waiting for me?”

“Yeah,” one of the redheads interjected into the conversation, his kitty lips spread into a grin. “But we kind of figured you meant a plushie or a wall scroll or your own sad delusions.”

The other ginger slung an arm around Kyungsoo’s shoulder as if they were old friends. “Definitely not someone so cute and actually real.”

“Guys, maybe not everyone is as into cosplay as you are. I am so, so sorry.” The man with glasses stepped forward, using his clipboard to pry the touchy redhead away from him. “Come on, we got a photo so we’re good okay?”

“That was too candid.” Camera guy looked down at the view-screen of device and frowning. “Besides, Mori-senpai had his eyes closed.”

The man on the tall guy’s shoulders crossed his arms, resting them on top of the man’s head and then placing his own chin atop them. “That’s pretty in character.”

“Unlike you.” Camera guy countered. “Pitch up your voice! Squish your Usa-chan plush!”

In the bickering, Kyungsoo tried to gingerly slip away. Hopefully Jongin got out of the bathroom soon enough so they could head to that cosplay panel and far, far away from this disaster zone of human beings.

Before he could manage his escape, both of the redheads were in front of him. Kyungsoo assumed they were supposed to be twins, although they really didn’t look much alike at all.

“If you don’t take a photo with him now,” the one with the curled lips began.

The one with the rectangle smile continued, “he’ll look for you the whole con long. Across the hall he’ll scream your name, rushing over to you begging for your attention...”

In unison, the two finished, “or you could take a few photos and be done with us.”

Kyungsoo rubbed at his temples. He was one more interaction away from a tension headache at best, a warrant at worst. “Okay Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Just until my friend gets ba-”

“Hyung, I...oh.” Jongin, as if summoned by his name, came around the corner. “Looks like you found your supporting cast.”

Before Kyungsoo could even plea for help, camera guy caught notice and gasped. “Oh my God. You’re the Trunks I’ve been hearing about. Is it true you made your sword yourself?!”

Jongin alternated between shy acceptance to pleased confidence as camera guy rushed over, questions tumbling from his mouth in rapid succession. All of Kyungsoo’s escape routes were slowly being closed off. At this rate his roommate was going to owe him two months worth of meals to make up for this catastrophe.

He ran a hand through his hair, feeling the irritation start boiling over into actual frustration. Too many people, too much attention, and too little regard to how he handled things was all becoming overstimultion that he didn’t need this close to the end of term.

Lost in his thoughts, Kyungsoo didn’t even realize the blond had moved right behind him until he heard him speak far, far too close to his ear. “This would be the opportune time for us to-”

Whatever “Tamaki” was going to say next, Kyungsoo didn’t catch because he spun around so quickly in surprise his elbow cracked right against the guy’s face.

Immediately his stomach hit the floor as the blond brought both hands up to his now bleeding nose. “Shit, I didn’t...you came up behind me and I...I’m sorry.”

Kyungsoo rushed over to one of the condiment stations to grab some napkins. Even Jongin and camera guy had turned their attention now on the accidental cosplayer and the injured one. Kyungsoo helped bring the napkins to the man’s nose, trying to ignore all the eyes he could feel on his back. “I never remember if you’re supposed to lean forward or back. I think back means you swallow the blood, so...”

Apparently, even injury wasn’t enough to break the ginger boys’ character. The one with the sharper chin and rectangle smile slid up behind Kyungsoo, although knowing what he was capable of, it was at more of a distance than his blond friend before had done in his approach. “You’re supposed to break a vase to join the host club, not Tamaki’s nose.”

While Kyungsoo wasn't privy to the reference, this seemed to break the tension in everyone, even the poor, injured man in front of him. Laughter began to bubble out, starting with Tamaki himself, and spreading around the group.

Maybe his life really was becoming an anime.

“I’m the sorry one.” Suddenly the blond man’s voice was much softer, a natural tone rather than put upon regality, even if it was a bit more nasally as he worked through his nosebleed. “It’s pretty clear you aren’t the sort of cosplayer that enjoys a little roleplaying.”

Kyungsoo gave a small, tense smile. “I didn’t even know I was cosplaying. My roommate is an asshole.”

“Hey!” Jongin pouted, but Kyungsoo could tell there was no real hurt behind it.

This garnered another chuckle from the man he elbowed in the face. “God, you must have thought we were insane.”

“Were?” The other redhead joined his partner in crime, adding to the conversation. “Dude, you actually went blond. That’s a whole level of dedication none of us are even close to reaching. Baek and I bought our wigs like last week on Amazon.”

Kyungsoo realized now he still had his hands on the mass of napkins, very much in blond guy’s personal space. He stepped back, tips of his ears feeling hot with embarrassment. “I really don’t care how into your cosplays you are, I just never asked to be a part of all this.”

He gestured to the con itself, feeling once again cornered and far too much the center of attention. This time with some sense (perhaps literally) knocked into him, Tamaki walked over to a table a bit out of the flow of the food court, giving the group some privacy.

“Well I’m still sorry. Please don’t feel bad about my nose. It didn’t black my eyes right? So no real harm done.” His smile was sincere and honestly more endearing than his earlier attempts.

Camera guy sighed. “Still need to wait a bit for photos, though. Unless you want to pretend Tamaki got a nosebleed from Haruhi’s attention.”

“Actually,” Jongin stepped a bit closer, interjecting, “if you didn’t mind...I wanted to get some good shots of me in the afternoon light? You could take them for me while we wait? That’s such a nice camera compared to my phone...I can even pay you.”

Kyungsoo was pretty sure that money wasn’t even a question camera guy would have asked about, but the suggestion delighted him either way. Without even checking to see if it would be all right with the rest of his group, he bounded back over to Jongin. “I’ve already got some great angles and poses in mind. Please, call me Chanyeol.”

Again, he was abandoned, but at least this time all of the people around him were acting more like actual people rather than tropey characters. Well, perhaps except the gingers.

Arms linked, they marched up to the two now occupying a table as they waited for the blond’s nose to recover. “Baek and I are gonna grab some lunch, seeing as that was why were here in the first place.”

Even though they were out of character, the other one continued where the first left off. “Want us to grab you something, Joon?”

The man went to nod, only to remember his nosebleed and switch to words. “That would be great. Thanks.”

The rest of the group followed suit towards the eateries, leaving Kyungsoo alone with the man he injured.

“So is it Joon or Tamaki?” He asked, deciding he at least should have some idea how to address the blond after everything they’d been through.

With a laugh, the other man gave another winning smile. “Tamaki’s the character. I’m Joonmyun; avid cosplayer and future teacher. Or so I hope.”

Outside of his persona, Kyungsoo had to admit he had a charismatic personality. It was a little cheesy, but also charming in an odd way. “I’m Kyungsoo. I’m a theatre major but I’m used to my drama being on the stage and out of my personal life, so...”

“So you really had no idea you were a cosplaying?” Joonmyun brought the napkin down and wriggled his nose. It was a bit red with irritation, but it didn’t appear to be off-center or causing bruising on his face, so Kyungsoo was relieved.

He shook his head. “Not a clue. I should have been suspect, but I trusted Jongin a little too much, I think. Sorry for spoiling your fun.”

“Oh no, honestly this was all so in character up till the nosebleed it was almost impressive.” Joonmyun arranged the napkins so the blood was hidden away, easy to dispose of. “Actually, knowing Haruhi that might be a pretty accurate response too.”

Kyungsoo smiled despite the jumble of feelings still tangled in his chest. “I’m more a sport anime sort of guy. Prince of Tennis is my favorite.”

“Oh, I’ve heard that’s a good one.” Joonmyun seemed to recover well, easily social. “Maybe the next time we meet up we could watch it?”

The whiplash of the conversation had Kyungsoo nearly reeling back like he’d been struck instead. “Next time?”

“Seeing as you injured me, it’s only fair you let me take us out to dinner. Consider it an apology to us both; me for my assumptions and you for my nose.” The blond’s smile was just as pleasant as before, but his eyes held a teasing sharpness. “Think that sounds fair?”

Kyungsoo should have said no. He also should have made Jongin go back with him so he could change. But like many things in his life, Kyungsoo did the opposite. “That sounds like you’re going into law rather than education, but...I’m willing to give it a shot.”

Joonmyun smiled, but before he could even pull his phone from his pocket to exchange numbers, the gingers had returned, throwing fake flower petals in the air around their table and shouting at the top of their lungs, “Kiss Kiss Fall in Love!”

**Author's Note:**

> I was quite the weeb, back in high school and college. I finally petered out of it when I realized all the beautiful men were real and in Korea! I kid, I kid. My favorites were Sailor Moon, InuYasha, and of course Ouran. I realized pretty early on that this would be a fun idea and started toying with the members as different parts of the gang. I didn’t get to share who everyone was in the story, so here’s the list:
> 
> Haruhi: Kyungsoo  
> Tamaki: Joonmyun  
> Kyouya: Yifan  
> Hikaru: Baekhyun  
> Kaoru: Jongdae  
> Mori Senpai: Sehun  
> Honey Senpai: Minseok
> 
> EXO and all other Kpop entertainers presented here are real people and so I remind you that this is just a fic, like a play with their stage personas as the actors. This is not intended to be a representation of who these men and women are or are not. Remember to love and respect them always. And thanks for reading! <3


End file.
